If I have unpaid medical bills and am not covered by private health insurance, will the Medicaid program pay my bills?

Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that pays for home health aides, therapies, prescription drugs and hospital and physician’s bills. Persons receiving Home Relief or Aid to Families with Dependent Children are eligible for Medicaid. Disabled individuals of any age as well as those who are medically needy under the age of 21 or over the age of 65 are eligible for Medicaid benefits so long as they meet the financial criteria. Medically needy individuals are those whose assets and income do not meet the cost of necessary medical care. The Medicaid program will pay for their medical bills once they have spent their assets and/or income which exceed the Medicaid financial criteria on medical bills.

What are the Medicaid financial criteria for an adult Medicaid Nursing Home recipient?

A Medicaid recipient may retain $4,350 (1/1/08 - 3/31/08) and $13,050 (4/1/08) in resources in addition to a homestead in which he or she resides and a car. Income above $50/month must be contributed to the cost of nursing home care.

What are the Medicaid financial criteria for a non-applying spouse of a Medicaid recipient?

If the Medicaid recipient resides in a skilled nursing facility or receives waivered home care services described below, the spouse may retain $2,610/month in income and resources of between $74,820-$104,400. If the spouse’s income is below $2,610/month after the Medicaid recipient’s pension and social security has been allocated to the spouse, then he or she may apply for an enhanced resource allowance in order to generate the income necessary to bring monthly income to $2,610/month. Spouses with assets greater than these may consider planning options such as transferring excess resources or refusing to make these resources available for the support and maintenance of the ill spouse.